Historical Snippet

History, meaning, & symbolism are often confused or changed by times and ignorance.

The Marriage Game III (2012) | Talismaniac.org -

Well, it finally happened. The laws of some people's god finally defeated the laws of both common sense and those of freedom. The constitutional amendment to ban same sex marriage was passed in NC.

I feel strongly that NC amendment 1 is a bad thing. for 3 reasons, 1- There is already a law that states this in the NC statutes, and putting it in the constitution opens us up to more private life constitutional issues, like what races can wed, and what acts married couples can do. Reason 2-The Amendment has opponents in both political party leaders, in the religious leadership, and in economic forecasters If all of those agree it is bad, think about it. And 3- If we pass this, then several large companies will have to leave or avoid NC as it is in violation to EEOC laws. Can we afford to lose jobs?

Since this vote, North Carolina has become the target of ridicule for hundreds of media sources and political humorists. laws suits are in the works from several sources, and the law itself has several outspoken opponents in local and national politics. Disney park recently announced a new policy allowing same sex marriages and other ceremonies in their parks. In other words, even the family oriented Disney corporation thinks NC is wrong.

I looked at the actual law in its entirety, and noticed something. Since the law SPECIFICALLY states the single man and woman marriage as (www.ncga.state.nc.us/Sessions/2011/Bills/Senate/PDF/S514v5.pdf) " the only domestic legal union" and then states: "This section does not prohibit a private party from entering into contracts with another private party; nor does this section prohibit courts from adjudicating the rights of private parties pursuant to such contracts." This law has no effect on the legal recognition of marriage, only on "DOMESTIC UNIONS." Marriage is not defined in the dictionary as a "domestic union," but as a consensual and contractual union (www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/marriage). All that needs to happen is one judge somewhere in NC gives a married gay couple the right to call their union a "non-domestic consensual and/or contractual" marriage, and the state and everyone else has to recognize it as a marriage. They simply can not call it a "domestic union."

Of course, in truth, the weight of this issue is becoming so important that it will soon become a federal issue. The last time this issue, or one similar hit, it was the issue of marriage between whites and colored. After 16 states in the south banned it constitutionally, the US government made a federal constitutional amendment that made those states recognize those marriages. Will that happen now? Who knows.

As a priest who has solemnized marriages for more than a decade, I can tell you that the ceremony of marriage is not about law, it is about family. How people define family is not something any law will ever be able to control. It is my hope that no matter what the laws say, people will still have the families they desire.